Canon goes long and underwater for new compacts

SX700HS aimed at family and traveling photographers

Canon has introduced upgrades to several of the compacts in its PowerShot and IXUS ranges.

First up is the PowerShot SX700 HS, which replaces the Canon SX280 HS as the company's travel compact.

Its standout feature is a 30x optical zoom lens and it's the company's slimmest ever compact to feature such a zoom range. The lens has a focal length range equivalent to 25-750mm in 35mm terms.

The SX700 HS is fitted with Canon's latest processor, the Digic 6, and has a 16.1 million pixel CMOS sensor. Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity is also included, which allows for remote shooting and sharing from a smart phone or tablet.

A range of creative and automatic modes are available for beginners, while those looking for something a little more advanced will appreciate the full manual and semi-automatic modes available on the camera.

What else is new?

Canon is also introducing a new tough camera. The D30 replaces the Canon D20 and its standout feature is waterproofing all the way down to 25 metres, making it the market leader.

It's also shockproof and able to survive drops from up to two metres, freeze proof down to -10 degrees and rustproof.

The PowerShot S200 is also announced today. This camera sits in the S-series range and features an f/2.0 lens along with a 10.1 million pixel CCD sensor. It is intended to be a more affordable version of the premium Canon S120 camera.

A range of new IXUS cameras are also being added to the range. The IXUS 155, IXUS 150 and IXUS 145 will all be introduced.

The IXUS 155 features a 10x optical zoom and 20 million pixel sensor, while the IXUS 150 and 145 are designed as entry-level models and feature a 16 million pixel sensor and an 8x optical zoom.